Brush assembly and vacuum cleaner including bursh assembly

ABSTRACT

A brush assembly and the vacuum cleaner using such a brush assembly comprises a brush main body having an air suction opening and a turbine chamber, a turbine mounted in the turbine chamber and having an air passage, and a connecting pipe connecting a vacuum cleaner main body with the brush main body, the turbine being mounted only within a portion of the air passage. Accordingly, a brush connected with the turbine can efficiently be operated, and unpleasantness to the user caused by noise generated during cleaning can be reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-023097 filed on Apr. 2, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly, to a brush assembly having a structure developed to increase cleaning efficiency and a vacuum cleaner including the brush assembly.

2. Description of the Background Art

Generally, a brush assembly used in a vacuum cleaner drives a rotating brush by using the kinetic energy of a stream of air. The brush assembly usually comprises a brush main body, wherein the brush contacts a surface to be vacuumed and so, to clean dirt on the surface by utilizing the rotating motion of the brush. A connecting pipe for guiding alien substances, such as dust, to a dust chamber of a vacuum cleaner main body and a turbine, which drives the brush are also provided.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,633 discloses a brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner having the above-described structure. The brush assembly disclosed in the aforementioned patent has a turbine mounted over an air passage in a turbine chamber. The brush assembly can increase the initial rotation force of the turbine, however, relatively large size particles of dirt can not pass through the air passage and are caught or become stuck in the turbine blade, thereby decreasing the rotation force of the turbine and subsequently degrading the suction force of the vacuum cleaner.

The dust entrained in the drawn-in air enters into the turbine chamber and passes through an abruptly narrowing entrance of the connecting pipe, such that the flow speed of the air is accelerated therein and unwanted noise is generated.

The thickness of the turbine blade is generally regular and constant, such that the suction force of the vacuum cleaner can not be fully delivered to the turbine, and when alien substances, such as dust or dirt, pass through the blade surface, the alien substances can not easily flow through and thereby are liable to stick to the blade surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been conceived to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the known vacuum cleaners, and an aspect of the present invention is to provide a brush assembly having a structure developed to increase cleaning efficiency and to decrease noise generated by the vacuum cleaner, and a vacuum cleaner utilizing such a brush assembly.

In order to achieve the above aspects, there is provided a brush assembly comprising a brush main body having an air suction opening and a turbine chamber, the turbine chamber having an air passage, a turbine mounted in the turbine chamber, and a connecting pipe for connecting a vacuum cleaner main body with the brush main body, wherein the turbine is mounted only within a portion of the air passage. The connecting pipe includes a connecting pipe entrance and the turbine may be mounted at one side of the connecting pipe entrance, or in the center of the connecting pipe entrance, within the turbine chamber so as to cover only a portion of the connecting pipe entrance.

The turbine preferably comprises a plurality of blades, each blade having a regularly changing thickness, as measured from an inner diameter toward an outer diameter of the turbine. The blades each have a thickness gradually decreasing from the inner diameter toward the outer diameter of the turbine.

The connecting pipe entrance may further comprise a gradually decreasing diameter portion and a constant diameter portion. Additionally, the connecting pipe entrance may be configured in the shape of Fallopian tube.

In order to achieve the above aspects, there is provided a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner main body having a dust collecting chamber, a brush main body having an air suction opening and a turbine chamber, the turbine chamber having an air passage, a turbine mounted in the turbine chamber, and a connecting pipe including a connecting pipe entrance connecting the cleaner main body with the brush main body, wherein the turbine is mounted only within a portion of the air passage.

The turbine may be mounted either at one side of the connecting pipe entrance, or alternatively in the center of the connecting pipe entrance, in the turbine chamber, so as to cover only a portion of the connecting pipe entrance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from an understanding of the following detailed description when considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded, perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are partially cut-away perspective views of alternative inventive embodiments showing the relationship between the position of a turbine and a connecting pipe entrance of the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the turbine in the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1 including a detail view of the turbine blade engagement;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a connecting pipe used in the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B is a sectional view of a portion of the connecting pipe taken approximately along line IV-IV of FIG. 4A; and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the brush assembly and connecting pipe taken approximately along line V-V of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Certain embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following description, identical drawing reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar elements between the different drawing figures. The matters defined in the description, such as the detailed construction and elements described below are provided to assist in the comprehensive understanding of the invention, and are not to be considered as limiting the invention. The present invention may be carried out without using some or even a majority of the below-described elements. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded, perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A brush assembly 200 comprises a brush main body 210 having an air suction opening 212 and a turbine chamber 211, a turbine 220 mounted in the turbine chamber 211, a brush 240 for contacting the surface to be vacuumed and being capable of rotating to dislodge and clean dirt on the surface, a connecting member 230 for delivering a rotation force to the turbine 220 so as to rotate the brush 240, and a connecting pipe 250 for guiding dust-laden air to a dust collection chamber (not shown) disposed in the vacuum cleaner main body 100.

The turbine chamber 211 supports and receives the turbine 220 so that the turbine 220 freely rotates by action of the airflow generated by the vacuum cleaner.

A plurality of blades 221 are arrayed circumferentially to define the turbine 220 so that the suction airflow generated by the vacuum cleaner drawing in air through the main brush body 210 causes the turbine 220 to be rotated. The detailed configuration of the blades 221 will be described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the connecting pipe 250 guides dust-laden air being drawn into the vacuum cleaner to a chamber (not shown) disposed inside the vacuum cleaner main body 100. The detailed configuration of a connecting pipe entrance 251 formed at the connecting pipe 250 in alternative embodiments will be described below.

When the turbine 220 is rotated by suction airflow generated by the vacuum cleaner, the connecting member 230 delivers rotational force of the turbine 220 to the brush 240. The connecting member 230 preferably is a belt; however, this should not be considered as limiting. Various alternative configurations for providing the rotating function, such as a gear, will come to mind to a person skilled in the art.

The brush 240 (FIG. 1) is rotatable by a brush supporting member 241, which is mounted on the main body 210. The turbine 220 is rotatably mounted on a partition 213 of the turbine chamber 211 by means of a turbine axle 222.

When air flows through an air suction opening 212 and rotates the turbine 220, a rotation force of the turbine 220 is delivered, via the connecting member 230, to the brush 240, which is rotatable about an axis mounted in the brush supporting member 241.

The brush 240 is moved along the surface to be vacuumed in close contact therewith, and dislodges dust and dirt off the surface so as to enable the vacuum cleaner to more easily vacuum the dirt from the surface. The dirt removed from the surface is collected through the air suction opening 212 and the connecting pipe 250 to a dust chamber (not shown) disposed in the vacuum cleaner main body 100.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are partially cut-away, perspective views showing alternative embodiments of the relationship between the position of the turbine and a connecting pipe entrance of the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1. The turbine 220 is mounted in the turbine chamber 211 to cover a portion of a connection pipe entrance 251, providing fluid communication with the main body 210.

The turbine 220 may be disposed laterally toward one side with respect to the connecting pipe entrance 251, to cover a portion of the connecting pipe entrance 251.

More specifically, the connecting pipe entrance 251 being assumed as having a width A, the turbine 220 is mounted laterally toward one side of the connecting pipe entrance 251, leaving clear a width B in the turbine chamber 211. The connecting pipe entrance 251 having a width A may alternatively be configured to mount the turbine 220 centrally in the connecting pipe entrance 251 of the turbine chamber 211, being spaced apart at a regular distance C from both sides of a connecting pipe entrance 251, as shown in FIG. 2B.

The proportion between a width D of the turbine 220 and the width A of the connecting pipe entrance 251 may be substantially in a ratio of 1:2, in view of obtaining passage of dust-laden air through the connecting pipe entrance 251 and in providing an appropriate size of blade 221 for conveniently receiving the suction force from the vacuum cleaner.

By the above-mentioned structure, the passage through which dust-laden air passes is wide enough so that the dust-laden air is drawn in smoothly, and turbine rotation is not affected by a toothpick, wooden chopsticks or other obstruction being caught by the turbine.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the turbine shown in the brush assembly of FIG. 1. A plurality of blades 221 is configured in a circumferential pattern to define the turbine 220. The lateral thickness of each blade 221 changes in regular predetermined arrangement as measured from the center part toward the outer circumferential diameter of the turbine 220.

More specifically, a portion near the center of the turbine 220 has a thickness E. As the blades 221 extend out toward the outer circumferential diameter of the turbine 220, the thickness of each blade 221 decreases to a thickness F, and in this manner, the blades 221 radially extend out from the center toward the outer circumferential diameter of the turbine 220.

An end G of the blade is rounded, as shown at point G′, to effectively reduce the resistance of the dust-laden air.

Because the blade has the above-described structure, dust-laden air flows smoothly along the radially-spaced and curved surfaces 1 of the blades 221, essentially in the direction of arrow H, and the air is guided away from the blades 221 at the rounded end G′, such that the impact of the dust-laden air is efficiently delivered to the ends of the blades 221, and therefore, the rotation force of the turbine 220 is further increased.

That is, since the turbine covers a portion of a connecting pipe entrance (not shown), instead of the whole connecting pipe entrance, the rotation force of the turbine may be decreased. However, the decreased rotation force can be compensated by the above-described structure of the turbine, mainly due to the radially-spaced and curved blades.

Additionally, if the above-described structure is applied to a turbine, the rotation force of a brush (not shown) being rotated by the drive force of the turbine 220 is also increased, such that the brush can more strongly impact and dislodge the dirt on the surface to be vacuumed. Accordingly, dirt can be more easily removed from the surface.

As a result, a user can more easily clean a surface to be vacuumed such that cleaning efficiency is increased, and an alien substance, such as dust, flows along a radially-curved surface G of the blade 221 in the direction of arrow H, such that the alien substance is merely drawn into the vacuum cleaner and does not become stuck on the blade 221.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a connecting pipe attaching the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1 to the extension pipes of the vacuum cleaner, and FIG. 413 is a partial sectional view taken approximately along line IV-IV of the connecting pipe shown in FIG. 4A.

A connecting pipe entrance 251 is defined by a portion of the connecting pipe 250, corresponding to a depth Y of the connecting pipe 250, and providing a connecting part from a larger diameter J to a smaller diameter K of the connecting pipe.

The above structure, as Applied to the connecting pipe entrance 251, provides schematically the shape of a Fallopian tube, which may be a preferable embodiment of the present invention.

If a connecting pipe entrance 251 is changed from a larger diameter J to a smaller diameter K, the part between the larger diameter J and the smaller diameter K is configured in with an inclined plane L providing an annular frusto-conical shape having a softly curved surface.

As described above, when dust-laden air, received from a turbine (not shown), passes from the larger diameter J to the smaller diameter K, the air flows along the inclined plane L so as to reduce noise that may be generated by the dust-laden air as it gains momentum when it flows from the larger diameter J to the smaller diameter K of the connecting pipe entrance 251.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the brush assembly taken approximately 20 along line V-V of FIG. 1, after the exploded view of FIG. 1 has been assembled. An alien substance, such as dust, removed from a surface to be vacuumed by a brush 240, passes in the direction of arrows H through the turbine 220, which is mounted within the turbine chamber 211,to cover a portion of connecting pipe entrance 251. The entrance 251 is configured in a connecting pipe 250, which is connected with the brush main body 210, and the turbine 220 has a plurality of blades 221 extending radially out toward the outer circumference of the turbine 220 and each blade 221 having a regularly changing thickness from an inner diameter toward the outer diameter. Preferably, the alien substance passes through the connecting pipe 250, of which the connecting pipe entrance 251 has the shape of a Fallopian tube, wherein a larger diameter J smoothly changes to a smaller diameter K, and the portion between the larger diameter J and the smaller diameter K provides the inclined plane L having a softly curved surface. Having passed through the connecting pipe 250, the alien substance is collected in a dust chamber (not shown) in the vacuum cleaner main body 100 (FIG. 1).

As described above, when a brush assembly and a vacuum cleaner using the brush assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied, alien substances, such as dust, do not get wedged in the vacuum cleaner turbine, so that a brush connected with the turbine can be efficiently operated, and thereby decrease noise in the inventive structure of a connecting pipe entrance, such that unpleasant noise otherwise generated during cleaning can be reduced.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the various embodiments of the invention is set forth in part in the above description and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following claims, or may be learned from practice of the invention. These and other objects and advantages of the embodiments of the invention may be realized and attained, as particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the invention only being limited thereby. 

1. A brush assembly comprising: a brush main body having an air suction opening and a turbine chamber, the turbine chamber having an air passage; a turbine mounted in the turbine chamber; and a connecting pipe for connecting a vacuum cleaner main body with the brush main body, the connecting pipe further comprising a connecting pipe entrance; wherein the turbine is mounted only within a portion of the air passage.
 2. The brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the turbine is mounted at one side of the connecting pipe entrance opening to the turbine chamber, so as to cover only a portion of the connecting pipe entrance.
 3. The brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the turbine is mounted in the turbine chamber and is located in the center of the connecting pipe entrance, so as to cover a central portion of the connecting pipe entrance.
 4. The brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the turbine comprises a plurality of blades, each blade having a regularly changing thickness as measured from an inner diameter toward an outer diameter.
 5. The brush assembly according to claim 4, wherein each blade has a thickness gradually decreasing from the inner diameter toward the outer diameter of the turbine.
 6. The brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe entrance further comprises a gradually decreasing diameter portion and a constant diameter portion.
 7. The brush assembly according to claim 6, wherein the connecting pipe entrance is substantially configured in the shape of a Fallopian tube.
 8. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a cleaner main body having a dust collecting chamber; a brush main body having an air suction opening and a turbine chamber, the turbine chamber having an air passage; a turbine mounted in the turbine chamber; and a connecting pipe connecting the cleaner main body with the brush main body, the connecting pipe comprising a connecting pipe entrance, wherein the turbine is mounted only within a portion of the air passage.
 9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the turbine is mounted at the turbine chamber and disposed toward one side of the entrance of the connecting pipe entrance, so as to cover only a portion of the connecting pipe entrance.
 10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the turbine is mounted at the turbine chamber and is located in the center of the connecting pipe entrance, so as to cover a central portion of the connecting pipe entrance. 